"In your words, I should be someone from beyond the heavens."
Noah stood beside Jinhsi, raising his right hand to slightly reveal the power belonging to Rover. He met Jué's gaze:
"Sentinel, do you recognize this resonance power?"
"I do."
Jué's gaze trembled, fixated unwaveringly on the Tacet Mark on Noah's right hand.
That familiar position of the Tacet Mark was like a key unlocking a hazy lock, making a sealed memory increasingly clear:
"Who exactly are you, and how do you possess the resonance ability of my Arbiter?"
As Jué's words fell, both Jinhsi and Changli were deeply shaken.
What Noah had said earlier was true—their Sentinel of Jinzhou, their exalted deity, truly had an Arbiter.
Hearing the answer from the Sentinel's mouth, the worry hanging in Noah's heart finally settled.
He was afraid that this collapsed world had erased Rover entirely.
Fortunately, Jué acknowledged the existence of an Arbiter, meaning Rover still existed in the world, just unknown whether on the Black Shores or elsewhere.
Sorting his thoughts, Noah spoke solemnly.
He was about to start lying.
"I am Rover's proxy, entrusted by Rover to come resolve the time flow crisis in Jinzhou."
"When you and Jinhsi engage in that fateful battle you prophesied, when the critical moment arrives, I, in Rover's name, permit you to transfer the power of time sequence to Jinhsi."
"In this way, Jinhsi may preserve her life, inherit the complete power of time sequence, correct the time flow on Mt. Firmament, and safeguard peace in Jinzhou."
As the words concluded, a long silence fell within the Mianloong Chamber, while Jinhsi and Changli plunged into a mental storm.
The Sentinel had actually made a prophecy long ago that Jinhsi would battle Her? So She had foreseen this day from the beginning.
Jué's breathing gradually grew heavier, the radiance on Her body flickering alternately, as if pondering, as if angry, yet ultimately transforming into a long sigh:
"You know far more than I imagined. If what you say is true, how wonderful that would be—"
One sentence struck Noah like lightning.
The lie had been seen through!
How did the Sentinel know his words were untrue?
"Your words are half true and half false, with exquisitely crafted logic. Merely the power on your body resonating at the same frequency as the Arbiter has already convinced me halfway of your claim as 'proxy.'"
"Unfortunately, the transfer of time sequence power requires personal authorization from my Arbiter; without it, I have no authority to transfer."
"As for the prophecy you know of, the timing has not yet arrived. Moreover, based on my calculations, you can only represent yourself, not the Arbiter."
With these understated words, Jué no longer wished to speak further with Noah. She turned Her dragon eyes toward Jinhsi:
"Jinhsi, you bear a frail body, traveling thousands of miles to the perilous Mt. Firmament, aside from aiding my release, have you been bewitched by this person?"
"Please do not misunderstand, Sentinel. Noah has twice saved Jinzhou from peril, bearing great benevolence toward our Jinzhou."
"Oh?"
Jué glanced at Noah in surprise, Her expression, originally distant due to the lie, softening slightly.
Jinhsi let out a long breath, her thoughts calming:
"Jinhsi comes with no other requests, only seeking the Sentinel to reveal the truth. Now, regarding your injuries, there should be no more concealment between you and me."
"I already know you suffer from an incurable wound, with your end approaching; I also know the time flow on Mt. Firmament has escaped control due to your injuries, and one day, the chaotic time flow will inevitably affect Jinzhou."
"Calamities must be eliminated before they arise, disasters must be severed at their buds, and this is precisely the prophecy you have not revealed to the world: you and I will eventually battle, correct?"
Each word fell, met only by Jué's furious roar.
"Utterly absurd!"
"Current Magistrate of Jinzhou, your meager frail body is far inferior even to the Chronosorter. Forcibly colliding with my resonance power would only result in being reduced to ashes."
"This matter must not be mentioned again. For the time flow crisis on Mt. Firmament, I have another solution!"
Hah—
Seeing the Sentinel's unprecedented rage, Jinhsi instead curved her lips, feeling both helpless and relieved.
She knew everything she said was correct.
Only if everything she said was correct could it sting Jué.
No one in this world understood Jué better than she did, for her life was saved by Jué, and she was Jué's sole Resonator.
"The rampant time flow on Mt. Firmament is likely already the result of your strenuous maintenance."
Jinhsi smiled bitterly. Changli pulled her arm, pleading with her eyes for Jinhsi to say no more, yet Jinhsi only gently shook her head:
"When you are forced into a desperate situation by your incurable wound, perhaps the only option is to exhaust everything to completely freeze Jinzhou's time flow—this is your solution."
"What is improper about it?"
The Sentinel's voice weakened: "Though this plan is imperfect, it can still be considered a solution."
"You would freeze time in Jinzhou—for ten years, a hundred years... If future generations find no countermeasure to save Jinzhou?"
"In a few short years, Jinzhou would likely already be forgotten by the world, just like the Port City of Guixu, mentioned by later generations only with a few words of nostalgia."
Jinhsi raised her head, her eyes filled with resistance:
"The fate of Jinzhou should not be entrusted to an uncertain future."
"Then what can you do to break the impasse!"
Jué grew agitated again, roaring:
"I have already deduced this countless times. If you now wish to resonate with me a second time, the outcome is only death. With your frail power, what do you think you can change! What can you change!"
One sentence plunged Jinhsi into silence.
The Sentinel possessed the profound ability to deduce the future, with foresight unmatched by anyone; nearly all prophecies came true without fail.
This had been verified countless times in Jinzhou over the past years.
Jinhsi herself knew clearly that her current physical condition was already precarious—how could she collide frequencies with the Sentinel?
"Only death... only death... I don't understand!"
Jinhsi stubbornly raised her head:
"I can remedy the missing link in your time sequence power—this is precisely why you revived Jinhsi from a dead infant back then."
"I said—" The Sentinel agitatedly swung Her dragon tail, shattering the stone walls within the Mianloong Chamber:
"With your meager frail body, forcibly colliding with my resonance power would only result in being reduced to ashes."
"But it could also buy a sliver of life for Jinzhou."
Jinhsi's vitality suddenly waned; she barely leaned on Changli to avoid collapsing, breathing with difficulty:
"You bear grave injuries with your end approaching, while Jinhsi also has few days left. We... how similar we are."
"You cannot bear for Jinhsi to die—how could Jinhsi not know? But if Jinhsi can sacrifice this frail body to illuminate Jinzhou's skies, even if only for a moment bearing your time sequence power, it would be enough to trade for a future for Jinzhou."
"A simple death is not my wish. Are you willing to take one more risky gamble!"
Jué breathed heavily, clearly quite angered, yet unable to deny that Jinhsi's words made sense.
She remained silent for a long while, gazing at Jinhsi's eyes resolved to face death, and finally consented.
"Good!"
"What's good about it! I disagree!"
Noah stepped forward, standing before Jinhsi, filled with indignation.
If the Sentinel could not transfer the time sequence power at the critical moment, Jinhsi would inevitably die.
Although he could switch to using 'Jinhsi's' abilities, he was completely unlike Jinhsi in being able to resonate with Jué.
This deadlock held no hope of resolution.
Damn it, after searching so long for Rover, Jinzhou is about to fall and Rover still hasn't shown up, fuck!
"Sentinel of Jinzhou, everyone has been forced into a dead end. Do you truly refuse to transfer the time sequence power to Jinhsi?"
Jué fell silent.
Jué sighed.
Jué shook Her head:
"Without the Arbiter's permission, I cannot transfer the time sequence power. Honored guest of Jinzhou, thank you for saving Jinzhou twice. If this answer dissatisfies you, I am very sorry."
"No need to be sorry! I don't need your apology either!"
He had intended to seek a win-win outcome gently, but in exchange received only distance and cold glances.
Noah no longer suppressed the long-accumulated anger in his heart, slowly drawing out the Emerald of Genesis, the blade tip stained with golden energy raised high, pointing straight at the Sentinel's dragon head.
"Jué—"
He called the Sentinel's name directly, without any reverence:
"Since you already know my lie, then I won't pretend anymore."
The resonance energy within his body surged wildly, dyeing his eyes golden, like leaping flames:
"Though I respect your years of dedication, today, this time sequence power—"
"You must transfer it, even if you don't want to!"
"If you don't, then I'll make you do it!"